Episode Ten
Gabrielle breathed in and out, slowly. She walked over to kasouf's body and removed his belt, using it to tie his hands behind his back. She then uded his boot laced to tie his ankles. As the adrenaline began to wear off she felt the pain from her various wounds and noticed the blood on her clothes. As more of her senses returned she heard a crowd outside and looked out over the balcony just enough to see all the people below.
"That'll be the end of the parade. He was going to make a big show from that balcony, let the people see him with out having to get too close." Said Nicole.
Gabrielle then had an idea. She walked over to the beaten man's unconscious body and dragged him over to the balcony. "Help me move him." She said and Nicole walked over and supported him under his arm so his bound feet were dragged behind him. They opened the curtain and pulled him out so everyone could see him. The crowd fell silent.
"Your leader has been beaten. Give the people their money back and go home!" After Gabrielle said this, with Nicole's help she pulled Kasouf to the railing and pushed him over the top to the gasps of the crowd below.
Although it was only just after noon Gabrielle needed to sleep so her battered body could heal. Nicole helped to support her as they made their way back towards the dungeons to retrieve Nicole's father's body. The crowd outside was very loud now and clearly the remaining guards had run outside to help their friends keep the peace but both women knew that now Kasouf was dead the people wouldn't be afraid anymore and would run them out of town.
As Gabrielle sat down on a stool in the dungeons Nicole found a cart and then gently placed her father's body on top and covered him with a sheet, kissing his forehead before covering his face. Gabrielle helped Nicole manoeuvre the cart to the back exit and out into the rear courtyard that was now empty. They took two horses that were tied up nearby and attached the cart to them before climbing on and leaving the palace.
The streets were filling up quickly but no one looked twice at Gabrielle and Nicole. Gabrielle wondered where they were headed but when she saw the banks of the Nile she had a pretty good idea. This was clearly a place where many local funerals had been held as there was plenty of timbers with which to build pyres. Nicole walked towards the timbers and Gabrielle followed. She reached to help lift one of the heavy beams from the pile but Nicole stopped her.
"Please Gabrielle, I need to do this for my father. It's the only thing I can do for him anymore. You should rest." Gabrielle nodded and placed a reassuring hand on Nicole's shoulder. "I understand, I'll go make a fire" she said before giving her shoulder a squeeze and walking away.
Once the pyre was built they both gently placed the old man's body on top and Gabrielle handed a torch to Nicole and stood back while she lit the pyre and said her final words of goodbye to her father. They stood there until the sun set and the embers burned down.
Gabrielle was struggling to stay awake, the exhaustion turning to pain in her muscles. Nicole looked at Gabrielle and was honoured that as drained as she was she kept vigil with her all day. She got up and walked over to Gabrielle.
"We should go home, you need to rest and get those wounds treated."
"Are you sure, I'll stay as long as you need."
"It's ok. I've spent the last few months not knowing if he was dead, alive or being executed as I thought of him so I consider myself lucky that I got to say goodbye. He knew I loved him and I know how much he loved me. He'd be proud to know that in whatever small way I helped bring down Kasouf."
"It was all you. It was your plan, I was just the muscle as it were. I'm sure he's incredibly proud of you"
"Thank you"
"I'm just glad I could help."
With that they embraced and walked back with one arm around the others waist to the cart and went home. Gabrielle felt every bump in the road as a blow to her battered body and as soon as they arrived back at the cottage Nicole took Gabrielle into her room and helped her undress. Gabrielle fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.
Gabrielle didn't wake until after noon the next day and was surprised to notice two things. One that she was only wearing her underwear and didn't remember undressing and two; that her wounds had clean bandages and clearly some of the pain medication on that Gabrielle had given Nicole the previous day. She tried to sit but a pain in her back told her it would probably be a better idea to rest.
As she moved around to get comfortable the door opened and Nicole walked in with some water and some food.
"Hey you're up" she said, very pleased to see the Bard conscious again, "I was just gonna leave this for you. I didn't know if you'd be up to eating or if you'd be starving so I brought a whole bunch of different stuff you might like. How're your wounds? Do you need more medicine?" Gabrielle liked the way the woman almost rambled with concern.
"I think I'll be fine, thank you. I think I just need to rest a little more and then stretch out my muscles a bit. I'm sure I'll be ok to be out of your hair tomorrow. It's so nice of you to take care of me.."
"You don't have to leave so soon. In fact I was hoping that maybe once you're strong enough to travel you'd take me with you"
"What?!"
"Take me with you, teach me everything you know" Nicole said the words but Gabrielle heard her own past echo in head. Was this how she had seemed to Xena?
"Are you sure? Its dangerous and painful and confusing"
"Confusnig?"
"Yeah, things aren't always black and white, good or bad. Battle changes you."
"But I have nothing keeping me here anymore. I understand it'll be dangerous but I promise you I'm smart, I'll follow orders and I wont get in your way. I just lost my father and staying here will only bring back painful memories, and forgive me but I can see that you've lost someone you loved very much not too long ago, maybe we can help each other."
"Am I that obvious?" said Gabrielle, trying to lighten the mood.
"No, not really. It's all in your eyes"
"I had no idea you'd been looking that hard." Said Gabrielle with a smile.
"It's kinda hard not to" said Nicole back with a smirk.
"Are you sure? Once we get going it'll be a long road back and there's no guarantee you'll be welcomed back."
"So I can come!"
"If you do as I say. I don't want you in any more danger than I can possibly help. And besides you're right, maybe we can help each other heal."
"Thank you Gabrielle" she said giving the bard a hug at which she winced
"Nicole, bruises!"
"Oh right, sorry! Ah, I'll let you rest while i get some things ready."
"Okay" Gabrielle laid back down on the bed, her mind racing. What had she just agreed too? Could she really train someone as a warrior? Maybe talking to someone impartial would be good, maybe even fun, and she'd certainly get back into shape. Thoughts of Xena's old training methods came flooding back into Gabrielle's mind as she ate, the only thing she knew for sure was that if she was to train Nicole, she'd start with the staff.
A/n Thank you so much to everyone's who's reviewed! It really makes me feel wonderful to know that people are enjoying my work! I'm sending you all virtual hugs! Much love, Kate xx Oh and P.s it's not over yet! Dun dun duhhhhhhh!!